lost missives from the Lonely Winter

A poem of mine is featured in the first issue of Divergent Magazine. Order your copy here.

You’re welcome. Some poetry brought to you by 30days working in a cold building for 8 dollars and 50cents per hour. Walking around in circles with a handtruck and a box full of binders at the campus bookstore. Days and days and days of this. When the bell rung in the old clock tower I’d go next door to campus market for my employee discount and what I got was a 50cent cup of watered down joe. Then I moved breaktime operations to Cafe Medici, a little further down the drag. I’d sit there on my lunch break dreaming of Berlin over a hot Americano for 2 dollars and 74cents. On my way back I’d pass the squatters in the alley. Some shit went down between me and them but me&Pauly jr. shut it down and put their trouble right away. It got to where none of them would even dare to EVER ask me for a smoke or to buy one of their Occupy rags again. Trouble was and trouble is.
If it wasn’t for Pauly and Stu and my Uncle Jimmy I might have walked out of there allot sooner. Thank god for friends. And for Art, shit. I stuck around for my bonus and I didn’t even get it. The University’s a bust and so is this town but you develop some appreciation for 30days on the dayshift when you’re inches from the row in America.

Jim Trainer is a communicator. Growing up in the hardcore scene of the early 90’s taught him everything he needed to know about real work. Jim Trainer believes in rock and roll. It may be our only salvation in this dark world. He’s carried the torch for independent media, broadcasting ... Continue reading →